Books & Banter

Jess and Janine (and Editor Linda) wrap up three years of podcasting in a compilation episode of out-of-context snippets and bloopers. Thanks for joining us, whether it was for one episode or from beginning to end. Theme tune: Nothing Just Happens by lemonmusicstudio via pixabay.com Additional sound effects courtesy zapsplat.com

Jess and Janine are reduced to angry speechlessness more than once, Cynical and Naïve make another appearance, and Jess would definitely pick up hitchhikers in a Manitoba winter, in this episode of the Books & Banter podcast, featuring Highway of Tears by Jessica McDermid. Please note that contrary to what Jess says, “skittles” is a type of bowling, not a type of billiards. To place a hold on...

Janine is grossed out by certain hide-tanning techniques, Jess never trusts anybody, and the two of them discuss various First Nations cooking techniques in this episode of the Books and Banter podcast, featuring Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom. To place a hold on Crow Mary , click here . To place a hold on Pioneer Quest , click here . For recipes and a book club discussion guide, click here . Addit...

Jess explains you shouldn’t commit murders unless you really enjoy digging, but she is not giving murder tips to criminals, and Jess and Janine are too fond of the word “unalive” in this episode of the Books & Banter podcast, featuring The Teacher by Freida McFadden. Place a hold on The Teacher here. Reddit thread is here.   Verity podcast here . Verity bonus chapter podcast here . Theme tune:...

Janine doesn’t understand the appeal of a giant hole in the ground, Jess would get up on broken legs to turn off a dripping tap, and both deplore the practice of being asked for your email at store checkouts in this episode of the Books and Banter podcast, this episode featuring Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini. To place a hold on Fractal Noise , click here . The podcast episode of Aurora Risi...

Jess claims that, technically, everyone is allergic to alligator bites, Janine reveals that she hates paper straws and hoards her plastic ones, and Jess and Janine discuss the ethics of being a bodyguard for endangered rhinos in this episode of the Books & Banter podcast, featuring Gator Country by Rebecca Renner. To place a hold on Gator Country, click here . Author Rebecca Renner’s website i...

Janine takes grave offense at Bienenstich being called a dull dessert, Jess thinks Will Patton’s audiobook narration radiates the appropriate total disdain for humanity, and digressions abound in this episode of the Books & Banter podcast, featuring Call Down The Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater. To place a hold on Call Down the Hawk , click here . To place a hold on L.A. Meyer’s Bloody Jack titles,...

Jess would pay money to see Janine trying out pioneer life, and the Janine Nap-O-Meter returns in this episode of Books & Banter, this week featuring The First Fast Draw by Louis L’Amour.  To place a hold on the First Fast Draw, click here . To place a hold on Pioneer Quest , click here . The "Bear at Disney" story is here . More about Quantrill’s Raiders here . Jesse James’ nickname...

Janine admits she doesn’t carry a shovel in her trunk, and Jess questions the internal defense mechanisms of the main character’s boyfriend in this episode of the Books and Banter podcast, featuring How I’ll Kill You by Ren DeStefano. To place a hold on How I’ll Kill You , click here . For more about Michael Peterson  and (alleged) murder by owl, click here or here . Sources for this episode’s fun...

Janine can’t trust her memory, and Jess calls out “poor little rich girl” hypocrisy in this episode of the Books & Banter podcast, this week featuring Garden of Burning Sand by Corban Addison. To place a hold on Garden of Burning Sand , click here . To place a hold on Change of Heart , click here . The articles where Janine found her fun facts are here: Why Legal Medicine in Africa needs a Boo...

Jess gets hives at the thought of 1930s forensics methods, and Janine is open to bribery, in this episode of Books & Banter, this week featuring American Demon: Eliot Ness and the hunt for America’s Jack the Ripper by Daniel Stashower.  To place a hold on American Demon , click here . Link to the Behind the door podcast here . Link to the Homecoming podcast here . Sources for fun facts can be...

A Page to Screen special episode! Jess hears “Capricorn” and thinks “candy corn”, Janine starts out not knowing who Andy Serkis is and ends up fangirling, and Janine and Jess agree on something controversial for a change in this episode of Books & Banter , this time featuring both the book and movie versions of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Place a hold on Inkheart here . Place hold on the book...

Jess dreams of a movie about a shark-ray hybrid (starring Steve Irwin), Janine reveals she doesn’t like Calvin and Hobbes, and both go on all manner of tangents to avoid talking about the actual book, in this episode of Books and Banter , featuring The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall. Place a hold on The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea here. Place a hold on the book Janine &a...

Janine is sad for kids who are exploited by their influencer parents, Jess can’t stand the logical and scientific inconsistencies of cozy mysteries, and Janine finds Jess’s aggravation amusing in this episode of Books & Banter, featuring Death by Bubble Tea by Jennifer Chow. To place a hold on Death by Bubble Tea , click here . To check out the Hannah Swensen series Janine mentioned, click her...

Janine has no idea how to pronounce the name of that Greek Island, and Jess can’t pronounce “salete” or “chaperone” in this episode of Books and Banter, this time featuring A Semester in the life of a garbage bag by Gordon Korman. To place a hold on A Semester in the life of a garbage bag , click here . Fun facts can be found in this pdf on page 132. Theme tune: Nothing just happens by lemonmusics...

Janine shows off her Dolly Parton impression, Jess reels off her favourite facts about the appendix, and both spend as much time on tangents as actually discussing the book in this episode of Books & Banter, this time featuring Behind the Door: the dark truths and untold stories of the Cecil Hotel by Amy Price. To place a hold on Behind the Door, click here . Article on the Skid Row Running cl...

Janine is weirdly attached to her copy of certain books, and Jess (verbally) flails incoherently while attempting to describe the plot in this episode of Books and Banter, this week featuring a review of Homecoming by Kate Morton. To place a hold on Homecoming , click here .   Theme tune: Nothing Just Happens by lemonmusicstudio via pixabay.com

Janine and Jess return to the Empyrean Riders again, all too briefly, before going off on a tangent (again), in this bonus episode of Books and Banter, this time featuring the bonus chapters of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. To place a hold on Fourth Wing , click here . To listen to the podcast review of Fourth Wing , click here . The Verity bonus chapters podcast is here . Theme tune: Nothing Jus...

Cynical and naïve make a triumphant return as Jess and Janine unabashedly fangirl, Jess is unnervingly good at thinking up torture methods, and Janine has no doubts about her complete inability to survive the gauntlet at Basgiath War College, in this episode of Books and Banter , this week featuring Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. To place a hold on Iron Flame, click here. To place a hold on the fir...

Jess cannot stop referring to “How To Train Your Dragon for adults” and Janine is a sucker for reality shows, in this episode of Books & Banter, this week featuring Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. To place a hold on Fourth Wing , click here. Theme tune: Nothing Just Happens by lemonmusicstudio via pixabay.com Sound effects by zapsplat.com

Jess finds Paul Rudd’s lack of aging to be suspicious, special guest Kelly questions the health of Ant-Man’s relationship, Janine is confused by the entire book, and everyone goes off the rails in this episode of Books & Banter (formerly known as Between the Lines), this week featuring Look Out For The Little Guy by Scott Lang. To place a hold on Look Out For The Little Guy, click here. Theme...

Janine divulges the wisdom of her mother when it comes to murder, special guest Britany prefers their murders slightly less classy and organized,… and no one is sure where Jess is (hmm. How odd.) in this episode of Books & Banter (formerly known as Between the Lines), featuring Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes. To place a hold on Murder Your Employer, click here . To read the article, 16...

Jess finds the main character’s obsession with her future father-in-law rather creepy, and Janine thinks Thanksgiving dinner stuffing made of Timbits would be excellent in this episode of Books & Banter, this week featuring The Family Game by Catherine Steadman. Krampus card can be seen here. Bat card can be seen (second image) here. To place a hold on The Family Game , click here. The article...

Jess is looking up property prices for sinister secluded cabins, Janine explains that crocodiles feel like leather purses, and Jess and Janine lose it over the possibility of holiday-themed masks, in this episode of Books & Banter, featuring Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger. To place a hold on Christmas Presents , click here. To read the article “The true crime genre is popular, but is it ethi...

Jess would take self-defense courses if she ever had to work as a kindergarten teacher, and Janine has finally read a podcast book without falling asleep in the middle of it, in this episode of Between the Lines, featuring The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter. To place a hold on The Blonde Identity, click here: https://tinyurl.com/5b2rvm9v BBC Entertainment article on post-concert amnesia here: http...